New year, new Bucs? It wasn’t always pretty, but the Bucs came away with a division-clinching performance against the Carolina Panthers, winning 30-24 on Sunday afternoon. It’s the first time the Bucs put up 30 points in a winning effort all season, which is disappointing in itself. There were some hiccups, and the game definitely didn’t go the way the Bucs wanted, but they were resilient and found a way to win in the end.

Here are this week’s most disappointing players from the victory:

S Antoine Winfield Jr.

Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: USA Today

Winfield had a tough go of it on the Panthers’ opening drive. On the first play of the game, he let D.J. Moore get behind him for a 26-yard gain. He was then called for a defensive pass interference call that set Carolina up at the 17-yard line. On the very next play, he was responsible for tight end Tommy Tremble, who beat him for the first points of the game.

The second quarter wouldn’t be much kinder to Winfield. He let up a huge fourth-down conversion deep in Bucs territory and followed it up by allowing his second touchdown of the game. This time, it was a 24-yard catch by Moore. Winfield picked up a holding call in late in the third quarter as well. Winfield did have a sack right before the half, but it wasn’t enough to take him off this list.

LT Donovan Smith

Smith was called for yet another holding penalty on the Bucs’ first drive. And later, playing with the lead in the fourth quarter, Smith let Brian Burns run right by him to nearly sack Tom Brady as he got rid of the ball.

HC Todd Bowles

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As Herm Edwards would say, “You play to win the game.” On several occasions, Bowles played it safe on Sunday, electing to attempt field goals rather than go for it on fourth down. The first, and perhaps most egregious, was a 53- yard attempt in the second quarter. Succop is not known for his booming leg, but for his accuracy within 40 yards. His miss made him 2-of-7 from 50 yards or beyond on the season.

Trailing 14-7 at the latter end of the first half, Bowles decided to take the three points instead of going for a potential game-tying score four yards out of the end zone. Succop made the kick, cutting the Panthers’ lead to four points. Then, in the third quarter, Bowles again decided to kick a field goal from just eight yards out of the end zone on fourth down instead of going for a potential go-ahead touchdown. Succop’s kick was blocked, keeping the Bucs trailing 14-10.

K Ryan Succop

Succop was 1-of-3 on the day and also missed an extra point. Of the kicks he missed, his 53-yard kick was arguably well out of his comfort zone. His second miss came on a 26-yard attempt that was blocked by Yetur Gross-Matos. Late in the game, he missed a PAT on the Bucs’ final touchdown of the game.